Classical arthrosis of the shoulder joint is quite rare compared to arthrosis of the hips or knees, but the symptoms of this disease can cause serious discomfort to the patient, so comprehensive treatment is required.Shoulder arthrosis (oarthrosis) is most often diagnosed in patients over fifty years old.Its development is associated with the deterioration of the quality of the cartilage tissue covering the surfaces of the joints.Cartilage acts as a shock absorber;thanks to it, individual bone components slide optimally inside the shoulder joint.When the cartilage thins and its integrity is broken, the bones in the joint begin to touch each other.This is a painful process that leads to limitation of joint mobility.The progression of the disease leads to the formation of osteophytes - abnormal growth of bone tissue at the edges of the shoulder joint.
Reasons for the development of arthrosis of the shoulder joint
In most cases, arthrosis of the shoulder joint develops with age due to the natural wear and tear of the joint.After all, such a part of the body is a very complex structure;if it is regularly exposed to severe stress, the probability of pathological changes increases.
There are cases of arthrosis of the shoulder joint in young people.A similar situation is possible if the cartilage tissue is damaged as a result of an accident (bad fall, road accident, etc.).If a person does not receive proper treatment after an injury, the cartilage is not used properly and this can lead to osteoarthritis.
Sometimes the loss of cartilage tissue in the shoulder joint is the result of systemic diseases, for example, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.
Symptoms
There are several typical symptoms of shoulder arthrosis.Among them:
- shoulder pain, especially when starting to move;
- morning stiffness, as well as restriction of movement after a long period of "inactivity";
- a feeling of cracking, clicking or rubbing in the shoulder joint when moving;
- limited mobility of the shoulder joint, which is progressive.
Sometimes pain due to arthrosis of the shoulder joint occurs only after long-term stress in this area.The intensity of the symptoms of the disease, as well as their combination with each other, can be different in different patients.But pain, as a rule, remains a stable symptom of the disease.
If you ignore unpleasant symptoms, your arm will hurt more and the disease will progress.The joint space will narrow to a minimum and the inflammatory process will begin.In such a situation, the patient will be worried about more obvious symptoms of the disease:
- swelling of the joint;
- severe persistent pain;
- forced limitation of movements (up to complete immobility of the joint).
A long course of the disease can lead to muscle atrophy due to refusal of usual activities.In such a situation, only surgical intervention will help to overcome the disease.
Treatment
Unfortunately, cartilage wear is an irreversible process.If arthrosis of the shoulder joint is in the early stages of development, the symptoms are transient and mild, conservative treatment aimed at restoring the functions of the joint is recommended for the patient with arthrosis of the shoulder joint.Typically, therapy includes:
- limiting activity and cooling the joint until the inflammation is removed;
- the use of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) to relieve pain and inflammation;
- the use of hormonal drugs for intra-articular administration (if the above drugs do not give the expected effect).
After suppressing the inflammatory process, the treatment of arthrosis usually includes:
- massages;
- regular gymnastics (physical therapy);
- physiotherapeutic procedures (shock wave therapy, laser therapy, myostimulation, phonophoresis, ozone therapy, etc.).
Also, patients with arthrosis of the shoulder joint are usually prescribed drugs designed to stimulate the regeneration of cartilage tissue.These are chondroprotective drugs.
Modern methods of conservative treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint
Doctors can use several new methods to treat destructive processes in the cartilage joint.
Autoplasmotherapy
With this intervention, the patient is injected with his own platelet-rich plasma.It is believed that the growth factors contained in platelets can stimulate the activity of fibroblasts - the production of collagen, hyaluronic acid and elastin.Thanks to this process, a new intercellular matrix is built and small blood vessels grow, which in turn helps to restore metabolism, activate local immunity, improve microcirculation and normalize tissue respiration.According to doctors, autoplasma therapy allows to start the full activity of the synovial membrane of the joint, reduce the intensity of pain and increase the range of motion in the joint.
Intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid
The effectiveness of hyaluronic acid of non-animal origin for osteoarthritis is still being studied by scientists around the world.In 2019, an article was published by American specialists (Arizona Medical College, Phoenix, AZ, USA) Department of Orthopedic Surgery describing the results of a preliminary study of the effectiveness of this procedure.It has been found that hyaluronic acid can reduce the severity of pain and increase the range of motion of the affected joint for more than six months.
When is surgery necessary?
If the conservative treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint does not give the expected result and the symptoms of the disease significantly interfere with the patient's quality of life, doctors can offer surgery to restore the function of the affected area.Today, endoprosthetics - installation of an artificial joint (bioprosthesis) can overcome this problem.This is a relatively new type of surgical intervention that allows you to completely eliminate the problem of arthrosis: restore the function of the joint and the entire upper limb, neutralize painful sensations and preserve performance as much as possible.